


Beautiful

by Partially_Stars



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Human, F/F, Human Lapis Lazuli (Steven Universe), Human Peridot (Steven Universe), Lapis is not here for that, Peridot has self esteem issues, Peridot thinks that Lapis is too pretty
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-10
Updated: 2018-01-10
Packaged: 2019-03-02 22:43:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,815
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13327953
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Partially_Stars/pseuds/Partially_Stars
Summary: Peridot has never thought she was particularly beautiful, or even pretty. Her new roommate, Lapis Lazuli, does not find that acceptable.





	Beautiful

**Author's Note:**

> Lapidot has always been one of my favorite ships in SU. I'm considering making this a two parter but I haven't really decide yet.

Peridot was never one to look in the mirror often. She claimed it was simply because she never had the time to desire to do so. She was a busy college student after all. She had things that needed to be done, assignments with quickly approaching due dates needing to be done. She simply couldn't waste any of her time staring at herself in the mirror, she needed every second of every day to finish what needed to be done. 

However, this was rather far from the truth. 

Peridot knew what she would face when she looked into the mirror. The same generic face that she had owned all her life, down to the freckled cheeks and unruly blonde hair. She always thought that her nose was too tiny for her face, her cheeks too plump, and her skin too pale. Peridot had never thought she was ugly or anything of those sorts, but she certainly wasn't anything beautiful. She was just plain Peridot with the most basic face a person could ever have. Looking at it in the mirror, hoping to find it slightly more appealing, would do her no good. She was never going to morph into something more beautiful or suiting of a nineteen-year-old woman. She would always look the same as she had for years. Plain, plain Peridot. 

When Peridot was sixteen, she fell in love. The girl's name was Amethyst and she made Peridot feel like she could fly. Everything about her was gorgeous, from her tanned skin to the shade of purple she had dyed her hair the previous year. Amethyst was always ready for the next adventure to come, always seeking thrills. Peridot never had it in her to decline when the invitation to join Amethyst arose, and so she was always tagging along. It made her feel alive, and to be included made her feel special. Peridot forgot about her distaste for her appearance whenever Amethyst was around, because Amethyst thought that she was simply adorable. "You're so cute, Peri." Amethyst had giggled one night while holding her hand. Peridot tried to contain her wide smile but failed miserably. To Amethyst, Peridot wasn't plain. She was cute, and that was enough. 

They broke up the following summer because neither of the girls could properly communicate when it came to their emotions. Amethyst was regularly sad and she took it out on the world with anger. She never wanted to talk about her past in foster care and how she thought that the home that finally took her in for good looked down on her because of her upbringing. Amethyst needed to learn to love all of her broken parts before she was ready to love someone else, at least that's what she told Peridot one night. Peridot had seen the break up coming for weeks at that point, but a part inside of her still shattered that night. She began to despise summer nights and the warm air and noises of nature that entailed. Summer nights were meant for when she and Amethyst were happy and in love. But neither of those things were entirely true now, so summer nights did nothing but leave a bad taste in her mouth. 

Peridot didn’t feel cute anymore after their break up. She didn't feel cute when she was sobbing in her room that night with snot and hot tears running down her face. She was back to being even less than looking generic. That night, Peridot hated her appearance. She thought that she looked pathetic with tear trails on her cheeks and eyes red and puffy. She looked weak, and weak was something that Amethyst hated. Peridot didn't know how she was going to come back from the break up with her first and only love, she didn't know if she could ever even look at herself the same way. 

Peridot moved on from Amethyst eventually, something she never thought she would be able to do. Her chest still ached every time she made eye contact with the girl, but she pretended to ignore it. If she pushed away her feelings for Amethyst then maybe, just maybe, they would go away. 

Eventually they did in fact go away and she no longer looked back on the memories they shared together and felt the urge to cry. Peridot always went back to not despising her appearance. Maybe she wasn't cute, but she wasn't the worst person to look at. There wasn't really anything too wrong with her appearance, it just wasn't like everyone else that seemed to surround her. She didn't make anyone's jaw drop and that was okay to her. Besides, she had to focus on engineering and not appearances. That was what was important now. College, not looks. Brains were valued much more over levels of attractiveness when it came to her future career. 

Of course, everything got messed up when she met her new roommate. In her first year of college, Peridot was roommates with muscular girl who liked to bark commands about how they kept their room. But this roommate however seemed like the total opposite. Lapis Lazuli had blue dyed hair and didn't talk too much the day the met. She just stayed on her bed reading and scrolling through her phone. Peridot didn't have a problem with the girl, except for the fact that she was drop dead gorgeous. Despite her whole philosophy of not paying attention to a person's looks, she couldn't help but grow angry at the fact that now Peridot would look even more generic and boring standing next to her model worthy roommate. It just simply wasn't fair.

Lapis certainly wasn't a horrible roommate, she kept her messes on her side of the room and always made sure to have them cleaned by the end of the week. She wasn't rude like Jasper had been and wasn't nearly as loud. She kept to herself a majority of the time. It pissed Peridot off to no end. 

Not only is she beautiful but she's polite and cleans up after herself? Well she really has it all, doesn't she? Peridot didn't think that any of it was fair in the slightest. Lapis could probably have anyone she wanted, and while Peridot didn't really care for a romantic relationship at this point, still grew annoyed at the fact that she would be in the dorm by herself tinkering with projects while Lapis was surrounded in affection. She's the kind of girl who will marry rich and become some sort of trophy wife, Peridot decided. 

"You look really cute with your hair all messy like that. I could never pull off that effortless look like you do." Lapis had said one night as she walked out of the bathroom, wet hair dripping onto the floor slightly. Peridot had been sitting at her desk scribbling down a last-minute essay for a class, looking as sleep deprived and messy as she felt. It took her a minute or two to register what had just been said to her, Cute? Peridot wanted to laugh at Lapis because there was no way she was even remotely close to cute. But instead, Peridot just looked up at her, feeling heat rushing to her cheeks.

"Thanks. Your hair looks nice too, I think you're, I mean, it's really pretty." Peridot could just die of embarrassment right there. Smite her down and put her out of her misery. Nice going Peridot, real smooth. Just shout to your roommate that you find her pretty when you've barely spoken to her. Really announcing your gayness there, aren't you?

To Peridot's surprise, she didn't get a weird look in response, or any disgusted noises. All that Lapis did was quirk her lips into a pretty little smirk and tilted her head slight. "Thanks." She then climbing into her bed and was asleep a few minutes later, leaving Peridot a blushing mess in her chair. 

"Nice going, Peridot," she grumbled before going back to her essay. Real nice.

The next week was hell. Lapis gave Peridot more and more compliments to get a reaction out of her like she had the first night. "I think you have an adorable button nose, it suits you so well." Peridot subconsciously reached to touch her nose with wide eyes, which caused Lapis to chuckle a bit to herself before walking out of the room. Damn her, Peridot thought. Peridot could only come to the conclusion that Lapis was only messing with her because she thought that it was hilarious to see her all flustered. Why else would someone like her, who could probably have anyone they wanted, be complimenting her? It just didn't add up any other way. Lapis wanted entertainment and she found it in the source of a flustered and stuttering Peridot. 

"You have the prettiest eyes that I have ever seen, Per. They're so unique, I could look at them all day." This particular comment actually made Peridot choke on her coffee. She literally choked and spit up coffee all over her jeans. If you couldn't tell, Peridot is really smooth around hot girls. "Sorry, just thought I'd tell you. They really are gorgeous." 

Now it was Peridot's turn to laugh. She couldn’t control it, even as Lapis gave her a questioning look. "My eyes are probably the best part about me, and even then, I wouldn't say that they're gorgeous. Mediocre at best, but thanks anyways." This did nothing but deepen the questioning look on Lapis's face. 

"I'm sorry? We both know that isn't true, Peridot. I barely know you and even I can see that you're beautiful." Well, that was not what Peridot was expecting in the slightest. No one had ever called her beautiful before, not even Amethyst. It made Peridot want to laugh even more, which she probably would if she wasn't so damn puzzled. There was no hint of sarcasm or a joking tone in her voice as she said it. Could she actually have meant it? 

"You can't seriously tell me you don't know that. You have some of the prettiest features I've ever seen, you have to realize that. Don't pretend that you don't." Lapis was giving her a soft look that melted Peridot's heart a little.

"I have the face of a child, there's nothing beautiful about it. Don't mock me, Lapis. Everyone here knows that you're beautiful one, you're the one who could have anyone they wanted. You don't have to feed me lies in order for me to return them with compliments." Peridot snapped at the surprised girl in front of her. 

"I've always thought you were beautiful, Peri. I've never lied to you. And answer this for me. If I could get anyone I want, then why don't I have you yet?"

Well. That was not where Peridot thought that this conversation would go.


End file.
